The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1887-01-08

Johnson, ana tncy are Doth dated to-
day. And there you sit and laughw
1t was not very kind of Poll, but it is
a fact that she had sat down on the bed
and laughed till the tears ran down her
checks.
81 can't for my life tell which like
best, Poll, which do you think is
nicest}"
''You amt goin' by anything l say.
like Johnson best"
con- but Jones is more than a gentle
man. And they're both coming here to-
night to Ellen Reovess surprise party, and
each says / can answer him tonight.
Think of that, Poll, and Miss McEwens
walked the room desperately; "both
coming for answer tonight"
''She does beat the Dutchl" thought
Poll, an hour later, as she watched Tilly
moving about among the noisy and mot
ley gathering below stairs as gay as the
gayest, her own saucy, indifferent little self
again. In one corner Jones was standing,
stationary as the enormous vase Of dried
flowers on the table at his side, over the
top of which he stared at lilly. In an
other corner Mr.. Johnson was trying to
smile at the sallies of young lady at
his side, and also covertly watching Til
ly, who was an illustration of perpetual
motion. Between talking, laughing,
dancing and flirting, she had not sec
ond to spare. She smiled most sweetly
on her two adorers, but managed to van
ish like a spritc from their immediate
neighborhood. In vain they made mon
| uments of themselves lilly would not
| notice. But, as fate would have il, she
presently tore breadth of her dress
| across
For the moment, in her annoyance, she
! forgot everything but the accident, and
with an apology to her partner, whirled
| out Of the Virginia reel and started for
| her own room. How long she was pm
ming up that breadth she never knew.
When she dared to stay away no longer
she put out her lamp and slowly-very
slowly-began to dc.cend the stairs. OF
course she at last reached the bottom
stair, upon which she sat down and dole
fully regarded the lines Of light under
tho parlor doors, as if they would help
her to a conclusion.
1t was but a moment that she sat there,
but in that moment she was terribly
startled by sudden movement close by
her in the dark Her hand was claspcd
in two Others, and voice whipered;
"Tilly, want my answer. Aren't you
going to give it to me2'
Miss McEwens was struck dumb.
"Why don't you speak2 / know it's
you;" and daring hand touched the
short curls on Tiiiy's forehead.
Miss McEwcns would have given deal
to have been as sure of the identity of
the questioncr If he would only speak
aloud, or if some one would open one
of the parlor doorsl
''Tlly"-this time the whisper was
urgent fts now or never with me. II
you don't give me an up-and-dowa Yes
or NO you'll never have the chance
again"
"Well, thcn-yes."
The next instant there was TN excla-
nation, somewhere beyond in the dark
space, that sounded very profanc. The
coat collar of the arm OF the individual
nearest lilly was seized by third per
son and the lover she had just accepted
was whirled violently against the oppo-
site wall. There was a scufio in the
dark.
lilly little coward that she was, ut.
tered a loud scream and ran back mp
stairs as fast as her feet would carry her.
Only two hours, yet it seemed five to her,
before the door was shaken and Poll's
voice demanded admittance. lilly sprang
to the door.
"Oh, Poll" was her first anxious qucs-
ton, did either Of them hurt tho other
and which did itT
"All know is Johnson's down stairs
now, bound to wait till he seeg you; and
Jones left doubi4-quick after tho sct-to.
Both Of 'em was mad enough, il that's
all, but they want hurt to speak Of"
Once within the door OF tho deserted